Chapter Text
15:16 | September 8th, 1979 – Hawkins Laboratory
Eleven used to think that Papa cared about her but now she knew she’d been wrong. He’d let the other numbers hurt her and now he’d let those bad men in the hallway try to kill her. But Peter had saved her. He was the only one who talked to her besides Papa. The only one who smiled at her. He even had powers like her.
As Peter slammed the closet door behind them, spinning around and facing Eleven, the little girl stared up at the blonde man more than twice her height, her eyes wide. Maybe Peter really cared about her? Maybe he could understand her, understand how sad and lonely she felt. But it seemed like a dream. Someone who would help her and had powers just like her? Maybe she had made him up.
“Wait here. Don’t move. I’m going to find us a way out,” Peter said.
He turned to leave but Eleven grabbed his arm. She didn’t want him to go. Was he really real? “Wait. How did you–”
Peter interrupted, “Like I said, we’re alike, you and I.”
He pulled up his left sleeve and she saw black numbers that said, 001. Eleven grabbed his wrist so that their numbers were next to each other. The proof was right there. Real. Before she could say anything else, he smiled at her and ran out of the room. She just stared after him, mouth hanging open. She stared for a long time, but finally, she rubbed her fingers across the number on her wrist and smiled to herself. Peter really was like her. Peter was nice. Good. He… loved her. As soon as she thought that she started feeling afraid. Papa wouldn’t just let them leave. The lab was a prison, that’s what Peter said. What if he couldn’t find a way out? What if Papa hurt Peter again?
The lab’s alarm suddenly wailed above her, and she jumped. She walked to the door of the supply closet and reached for the handle. Her hand touched the metal bar. It was cold. She stood there for a while, not sure what to do. Should she pull it open…? No. Peter told her to wait. Peter was strong, and she needed to trust him. He would come back. He wouldn’t leave her behind. Would he?
Eleven backed away from the door and sat on the ground, scooting back to the wall and holding her hands over her ears, trying to ignore the alarm. It felt like days went by. But eventually, the door flew open again. She jumped up, ready to fight a guard or maybe even Papa himself, but it was Peter running back into the closet, his white clothes covered in red dots. Peter was okay! He was really okay!
“Peter!”
“Call me Henry,” the man smiled.
Henry held out his hand to Eleven, and without even thinking about it, she grabbed it. He squeezed her tiny hand in his big one and led her out of the lab forever. As they ran, he wiped away the blood under his nose.